INHABITANTS OP PERU. 



301 



over the body. The children of the deceased seat themselves 

 at the foot of the bier, and the relatives at the sides, apostro- 

 phizing the corpse from time to time. The condolers leap 

 and turn themselves round, stopping occasionally to repeat, 

 in a low voice, certain prayers, agreeably to their native 

 rites and idiom. Each person present ^contributes half a real 

 for the expences of the interment, and for the purchase of the 

 drink u^hich is distributed. This is commonly the guarapo, a 

 species of fermented liquor, and sometimes brandy. Before 

 the drinking commences, the cup, filled with liquor, is carried 

 to the mouth of the defun6t, to whom a long conversation is 

 directed, as if with a view to invite him to partake. He being 

 supposec^to have tasted the contents, it is passed to the chief 

 mourners, and from them handed progressively until it reaches 

 the last person in company, the same scrupulous attention to 

 precedence being invariably observed, according to the de- 

 • gree of seniority of each individual. At length, this funftion, 

 which was begun in sober sadness, concludes by drinking j 

 singing, and dancing. 



Our etiquettes of being seated in alcoves, to make a display 

 of our grief ; of putting on family mourning ; of retiring for 

 a determinate number of days ; of incurring superfluous ex- 

 pences, &c. assimilate our funerals with those of the negroes, 

 and render them equally defe6live, although by a route diame- 

 trically opposite. 



When the widow of any one of those who had attained the 

 distinction of being corporal of the tribe, is desirous to con- 

 tra6l a second marriage, it is necessary that she should give 

 proofs to the whole of the assembly, both of the afte6tion she 



entertained 



